OMEPRAZOLE FOR PEPTIC-ULCER DISEASE IN PREGNANCY

This report contains the observations of 9 women who received omeprazo le for severe reflux disease during different stages of pregnancy. Fou r patients took omeprazole at the time of conception, and 3 of these p atients continued omeprazole therapy without interruption until delive ry. One patient discontinued therapy in the 8th week of pregnancy but had to take the drug again from the 28th week to delivery. The other 5 patients started therapy in weeks 24, 30, 33, 34 and 36 of pregnancy because of bleeding in 2 patients and unbearable Hz receptor refractor y reflux symptoms in the other 3 patients. All patients were carefully monitored. In all cases omeprazole was well tolerated. No severe side effects were observed in any of the mothers or their newborns. No mal functions or malformations were observed in the newborns. Follow-up of the children between 2 and 12 years showed normal development in all children. These data together with the data on 8 such pregnancies publ ished by other authors suggest that omeprazole is safe when given duri ng pregnancy at whatever phase.